Drop Sets For Strength

Blast Your Body: How To Target Every Muscle

Click here to check out John Romaniello's official website.In part one of this article, I introduced a technique called Mechanical Advantage Drop Sets. Also known as MADS, this is a type of drop set in which the variable is not the weight but the exercises you perform with that weight.The goal is to go from a position in which you are mechanically weakest (because of either leverage or strength curve) to one in which you’re stronger. In many cases, moving from a strong mechanical position is as simple as changing the distance between your hands or rotating from an overhand grip to an underhand. In others, it’s about changing the exercise itself to hit the muscle in a stronger way. By performing drop sets in this way, you’re able to challenge your muscles more effectively than with traditional sets.Compared to traditional drop sets, in which you keep the exercise the same and merely reduce the weight, MADS aren’t necessarily better, just a bit different. Not only do you get to keep the heavy weight, but you also get to recruit different aspects of the muscle you’re targeting.Today, I’m going to give you some of my favorite mechanical advantage drop sets for nearly every muscle of your body.

Barbell Bench Press MADS

Progression: Wide-grip bench press, close-grip bench press, moderate-grip bench press.Execution: Start with a wide-grip bench press, using a weight you can lift for about 15 reps. Once you fatigue, rack the bar, shake your arms out and move to a close-grip bench press. While this is a triceps-oriented version of the bench, you’ll still hit the chest. Perform as many reps as you can, then rack the bar again. Proceed to the moderate or “normal”-grip bench press, where you will be the strongest. Perform as many reps as you can, and rest.How to Use: Perform 2 of these drop sets at the end of a strength chest workout.Bonus: You can use this same setup for push-ups.

Pull-Up MADS

When it comes to pulling, you’re always going to be stronger with an underhand grip. This is because supinating the hand allows you to recruit the biceps to a greater degree. In this case, a chin-up will be the strongest because you’re using your biceps in addition to your back.Progression: Wide-grip, moderate grip, underhand gripExecution: Begin with wide-grip, overhand pull-ups, performing as many as you can in good form. When you fatigue, rest for a few seconds and then perform overhand pull-ups with moderate hand spacing. Perform as many reps as you can until you fatigue. Rest for 5 seconds and finish up with chin-ups, which are an underhand grip.How to Use: Perform 3 of these drop sets at the end of a back workout or on an off day.Note: Some clients find moderate grip more difficult than wide grip. While wide grip is more mechanically disadvantageous, there is also a shorter range of motion. For guys with shorter arms, this won’t make a big difference, but a tall guy will notice. If you want to play around with switching the order, feel free.

Barbell Row MADS

In this case, an underhand grip row will be the strongest because you’re using your biceps in addition to your back — the same principle as above.Progression: Wide-grip, narrow-grip, underhand gripExecution: Start with a bent-over barbell row with wide hand spacing, making sure to use a weight you can lift 8-10 times. When you reach failure, set the bar down and rest 15 seconds. From there, take the barbell in a moderate, overhand grip, and perform a few more reps until you hit failure. Set the bar down, and without rest, take it in a moderate underhand grip, performing as many reps as you can.How to Use: Perform 2-3 of these drop sets in place of regular rowing during your back workout.

Quad MADS

In this case, the difficulty of execution has a lot to do with range of motion and leverage. With a long-stride lunge, you’re moving a great difference but also putting your quadriceps in a weaker position when you’re at the bottom of a lunge.Progression: Long-stride lunge, short-stride lunge, squat

Execution: Take a dumbbell in each hand, performing forward lunges in an alternating fashion. Use a weight you can handle for 12-15 lunges per leg. At this point, the lunge should be long enough so that when you are in the lunged position, the knee of the back leg is pointing slightly behind you, not straight down. When you fatigue, shorten the stride and perform more lunges. With this lunge, your back knee should be just about in line with your front heel. Rest only if you need to. When you reach fatigue, perform dumbbell squats until failure.How to Use: Perform 3-4 drop sets in lieu of lunges during your leg workout.